Apparatus for mixing liquids



W. M. CALKINS.

APPARATUS FOR MIXING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION HLED- FEB. a, 1920-.

Patented June 20, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- W. M. CALKINS.

APPARATUS FOR MIXING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E/VI'OR Patented June 20, 1922.

UNITED s'r 'rEs-- PATENT OFFICE;

wmuir 1., camrms, or sxmcusn, NEW Yoiur.

APPARATUS FOR MIXING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1922.

Application filed February 3, 1920. Serial No. 356,084;

' ments in apparatus for mixing liquids, such as various soda beverages and other miscible substances and refers more particularly to that type in which the agitator is driven by an electric motor. I

One of the objects is to mount the agitator directly upon the shaft of a vertically reciprocatory motor capable of being easily and quickly deplaced by hand against the action of suitable retracting springs to br ng the agitator into the receptacle containing the liquid to be mixed and automatically locking the same in its operative position so that the mixing operation may proceed without further attention from the operator until the mixing is completed, whereupon the motor may be easily and quickly released by the operation of a push button and returned to its normal inoperative position by its retracting springsi Another object is to provide means Whereby the motor circuit will be automatically closed when the motor is brought to its operative position and the circuit opened when the motor is returned to its normal position.

A further object is to provide the agitator with airjets communicating with the atmosphere to allow the inflow of air into the liquid during the agitation thereof and to cause the streams of air to issue from the jets to be broken up more or less at other points of exit so as to expedite the mixing operation by the agitator.

A still further object is to support the motor and its agitator in such manner that the may be easily and noiselessly moved to an fro and from their mixing position and firmly held against undue vibration when the motor is in action.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the apparatus will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is avertical sectional view, partly in elevation of'a mixing apparatus embodying the various features ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view part] in section of my nvention on line 2-2 of ig. l.

B ig. 3 1s a sectional view of the agitator. As 1l1ustrated, this apparatus comprises a base 1 having a central platform or rest -2- for receiving and supporting a receptacle as 'A- for the liquid to be mixed and is also provided with a pair of vertical sockets 3- at opposite sides of the central platform -2 for receiving the lower ends of a pair of upright standards --4. These standards are secured in their respectlve sockets 3-- by set screws --5-- and extend some distance from the base '1'-- in parallel spaced relation corresponding to the distance between the sockets -3, which 1s sufficient to receive between them the receptacle -A, said standards being tubular and of substantially ,the same rectangular cross sectional area from end to end to form substantial guides for an electric motor as B-- which is movable vertically between the standards.

The upper ends of the tubular standards terminate in substantially the same horizontal plane and are provided with removable bushings or plugs -6, which are held in place by screws 7-- and serve to receive anchor bolts -8 for the upper ends of a pair of retracting springs -9--, the lower ends of which are attached to suitable cross heads l0 of the motor frame -B-.

a A yoke 11 is provided with caps 12-- fittlngupon the upper ends of the tubular standards 4 and held in operative pos tion by the screws 7 to brace these portions of the standards against relative lateral movement and to thereby permit the motor to slide freely upon said standards.

The cross heads --10 are fitted with an easy sliding fit within theirrespective tubular standards -4 to slide vertically and are connected by relatively narrow webs '-10'-- to the mam frame of the motor The inner sides or walls of the tubular standards or posts -4 are provided with vertical slots- 13- to receive the connecting webs 10" between the motor frame and cross heads -l0 and are of suflicient length or height to permit the desired vertical movement of the agitator as -14- into and out of the liquid'in the container -A, said slots being preferably extended to the upper ends of the posts to permit the motor to be placed in operative position and with drawn to and from the top of the posts when the plugs .6- and yoke -11- are removed.

The plugs 6- are provided with pendent arms 15 extending downwardly along the inner sides of the posts to form the stops for engaging the upper ends of the cross heads -l(l and limiting the upward movement of the motor with the agitator thereon when the various parts are assembled for use. 1

Suitable means is provided for holding the motor in its extreme down position when the agitator is in operation in the container -A-- for mixing purposes and to thls end the main body of one of the cross heads -10- is hollow and its outer Wall is provided with an aperture -16- near the lower end thereof for receiving a spring catch -17- which is secured to the adjacent wall of the post and is provided with a push button -18- extending through an aperture in the outer wall of the adjacent post 4- for engagement by the finger of the operator to release the'catch from interlocking engagement in the aperture -16- and allow the springs 9 to draw the motor and agitator upwardly when the mixing operation is completed.

In order that the motor may be normally at rest or disconnected from the motor circuit when in its extreme upward position and that it may be automatically connected in said circuit for revolving the agitator l4lwhen adjusted downwardly for mixing purposes, I have provided the inner walls of the cross heads with contact terminals -l9 which are electrically connected by wires 20 to the motor and are adapted to be moved into contact with spring terminals 21- within the lower portions of the posts 4, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, the terminals -2l being electrically connected by wires 22- to a suitable plug, not shown, but which may be inserted in an ordinary electric lamp socket for supplying the necessary current to the motor.

' The terminals -19 are mounted upon insulating blocks -23- on the inner walls of the cross heads -10 to insulate the said terminals from the other metal parts.

In like manner the terminals -21. are mounted upon insulating blocks -24 which are secured to the lower portions of the outer walls of the posts .4 by the same screws 5 which fasten the posts to the base 1. The terminals 21 and terminals -19 are normally separated vertically when the motor is in its extreme upward position but are adapted to be brought into contact with each other when the motor is drawn downwardly by means of a handle 7) on the motor frame.

65 The motor B-- is supported endwise 7 small branch tubes 27-- are secured to and communicate with the interior of said tube vertically midway between the standards 4- with its motor shaft as -b'- ex tending downwardly from the underside thereof, parallel with the standards -1--v and its handle Z) disposed substantially midway between the ends of the motor frame at one or both sides thereof to permit it to be conveniently lowered against the action of the retraction springs --9.

The agitator l1' comprises an upright tube -25 having its upper end embracing and secured by a set screw --26-- to the lower end of the motor shaft -b while its lower end' is preferably closed. Relative near the lower end thereof and are open at their outer ends to allow atmospheric air, a which enters suitable openings 28 in and near the upper end of the tube to pass down wardly through the tube and outwardly through the branch tubes -27-.

A pair of radial projecting U-shaped branches 29 are also secured to opposite sides of the tube 25-- to overhanging outer ends of the branch tubes 27- and thereby forming baflies to deflect the air passing out through the branch tubes -27-. The outer portions of the U-shaped tubes 29- may also be provided with apertures -30 for the exit of air to cooperate with the air delivery tubes -27 in causing greater agitation and consequently more rapid mixing of the liquid when the agitator is rotated therein, it being understood that 100 under such conditions the air is thrown by centrifugal force through the branch passages 2'Z'- and 30 and assists the agitation caused by the revolution of the branches in the liquid.

For a similar purpose the intermediate portion of the tube is provided with downwardly and outwardly deflected branch air tubes -2?' and 29 similar to the branches -27-- and 29-' and for the 110 same purpose except that they tend to deflect the air downwardly and outwardly and to increase the agitation caused by the revolution of the branches in the liquid, the outer ends of the branches 29 being provided 115 with apertures -30 corresponding to the apertures -30 and the branches 29.

In operation the motor with the agitator l4 thereon is normally elevated by the springs 9- to its normal or inactive po- 12 sition but may be drawn downwardly through the medium of a handle until the agitators are both in the liquid within the receptacle A- at which time the motor circuit will be closed by contact of the 125 terminals 19- with the terminals -2l, thus causing the rotation of the motor shaft and agitator while at the same time the motor is locked in its down position by means of the catch 17-. When the mixing oper-v 1 0 ation is completed, the catch 17- may be tripped by pressing inwardly on the button 18- thereby allowing the springs 9 to return the motor and its agitator upwardly to the normal inactive position.

In case it should become necessary to move the motor for repairs or for any other purpose, the yoke 11- would be removed from the upper ends of the posts ---4 by removing the locking screws -7-, thus permitting the motor to be lifted vertically until withdrawn from the upper ends of the posts.v

It will also be observed that the posts may be readily removed from the base 1 by simply removing the screws --5 and withdrawing the posts upwardly from the sockets --3 which also permits the removal of the insulator sections -24- with the terminals -2l thereon, all of which enables the various parts of the entire apparatus to be easily and quickly assembled or taken apart when desired.

The liquid containing receptacle -A may be yieldingly held coaxially with the agitator 14- by means of spring clips -31 mounted in any suitable manner upon the base 1 so as to permit the receptacle to be inserted between them or withdrawn at will.

What I claim is An agitator for liquid mixing apparatus comprising a tube having an air inlet near one end and its opposite end closed, branch tubes secured to the main tube and communicating with the interior thereof and having their outer ends open, and additional branches secured to the main tube and overhanging the outer ends of the first named branch tubes in slightly spaced relation thereto to deflect the air escaping from the branch tubes, and means for rotating the agitator.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of January, 1920.

WILLIAM M. GALKINS.

Witnesses:

E. Cruse, Rosn G. Cannon. 

